Zedekiah carried to Babylon: useless endeavour to escape judgment

After this, chapter 39 and the following chapters give us the
history of the confusion and iniquity that reigned among the
remnant who were not carried captive to Babylon, in order that they
should be scattered, and that all should fully bear the judgment
which God had pronounced. Nevertheless, if at this last hour this
remnant had submitted to the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, peace should
have reigned in the land, and these few that remained should have
possessed it. But some revolt, and the others fear the
consequences of their folly. There is no idea of trusting in
Jehovah. They consult Jeremiah, but refuse to obey the word of the
Lord from his mouth. They take refuge in Egypt to escape
Nebuchadnezzar, but only to fall under the sword which would have
spared them in Judea, had they remained there in subjection to the
king. In Egypt they give themselves up to idolatry, that the wrath
of God might come upon them to the end. Nevertheless God would
spare even a little remnant of these, but Pharaoh-hophra, in whom
they trusted, should be given up into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar,
as Zedekiah had been.